Wheel structure



April 15, 1952 G. A. LYON WHEEL STRUCTURE Filed June 28, 1949 fnl/EN fr @e0/8% A e/wyaiz Patented Apr. 15, l1952 STATES PATENT oFFIcE STRUCTURE" vGeorx'ge.llb'ertLyon,Detroit, Mich; AppIi'cat'lnJunefZS, 1949; SerialNo'. `101,726

The present invention relates to improvements in Wheel structures and more particularly concerns an: improved vehicle Wheel` "structureV in which the body off the: Wheelv embodies.A a novel construction.

An important objectoft the present invention is `to provide'fanfzimproved wheelfstructure whereinthe body Y'portion-of the wheelincludes novel means for retaininga-L wher-2li'` cover.

VAnother! objectl or thefinvention is` to provide anovellA wheel structure wherein at wheel body s-attachedl-to a :tire rimaand the wheelbedy has meansadjacent-.lthe` junction thereof` with the tire rim for attachment of a wheel cover inspanonrpry-off relation.

Y A further object-ot theinvention-is to provide a novel` Wheels body structure for avehiclelwheel.-

According to. Vtheu generalmfeatures. ofthe present invention there. is, provided in a wheel .structure including .a multifiiange tire rim having a base iilangaa wheel body formed from a sheet metal stamping having at its outer periphery a plurality of'generally axially outwardly extending cover retaining ng'ers, the outer. periphery of the'vvheel body beingsecure'd to the'lbas'e liange of the tire rim. with said cover retaining extensions projecting axially outwardly beyonditlie outer margin of'thebarse flange for 'retaining engagement by va Wheel cover., According to otlier general features ofthe invention there1 is provided 'in' a `Wheel structure a body disk having the outer margin thereo'ffornled with a concave annularv cli'annel providing la generally axially outwardly extending; peripheral nange arraug'edtobeattacliedfto the base' nange of a tire'rirn aridliaving a pluralityfoff cover retaining extensions `thereon.-

' According to'T still further'generall features' o'f the invention, there is provided ini `a Wlieel`-structure including la multii'flange 'tire' Having' 'a base flangeandf'afsid` flange; a vvliee1``body disk includingan outer" peripheral generallyaxial-ly extendingattacliment flange structure securedto the base" flangeiof. thetirerim arruinar-ing a plurality of.' axially outward" -coverf retaining extensions; and wheel" cover including a=` generally axially: inwardly extendingfann-ulanretaiiinngfportion retainingly engaging said extensions and heldby'saidextensions' at thejuncturero the tire rim a'n'd wheel-body.

Other' objects; features andAV advantages of the present'irivention will be readily apparent Ifrom A'the 'following-detailed' descriptionfof ai preferred embodiment thereof taken conjunction Awith theflacccmpanying drawings, wherein:

'-10- Claims. (Cl. 30P-37') Fig-ure 1v is a side elevational vievvA of a vehicle wheel embodying features of the .present invention;

Figure 2`is an enlarged fragmentary radial sec'- tion'al View `taken on line II--II of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view similar to` Figure 2 but showing a modified form ofrcover applied to thewheel; and

Figure 4 is a reduced scale edge `elevational view of thewheel bodylof the wheel asit appears beforeassemblyfwiththe-tire rim. n

As shown on the drawings:

The present inventionis especially adapted `for use in' antoniobile` Wheels including amultieiiange tire rim lll, which may be' formed as a rolled section from appropriate gauge sheet metal, and a Wheel body l I which is preferably formed as a sheet' metal stamping.

` The tire' rim I0 is preferably provided with a base flange I2, aside ilange i3, intermediate iiange l4` vand a: terminal flange l5, 'the' flanges being correlated to provide a drop center rim for accommodating' a pneumatic tire and tube assembiy I6.

The wheel body ll includes" acentral bolt-on flange 'H- including bolt'apertures I8l arranged to accommodate attachment bolts by which the wheel is attached to theV axle portion of a vehicle (not shown). Atiits outer margin `the Wheel body II is` formed witlra generally axially inwardly projecting annular rib` t9' of substantial radius providinga concave cross-section groove 2B and dened at its radially outer side by a generally axially outwardly extending attachment flange 2l which is secured in any appropriate fashion as by Welding or thelike Ito the base ange l2- 'of the tire rim. i

Itis customary to apply to the outer side of such a vehicle wheel a cover members/uch a's a hub capbr full covering cover assembly or disk. In view of the modern trend toward smaller wheels fand: larger tires it? has been found desirable to provi'demeans adjacent the outer-margin of .the wheel body for attachment of the wheel cover.

According to the present invention the' means fr1attachinentoia- Wheel icover comprisesmeans integr-'allwithftliewheel body attachment flange 121|. To= this end; `the attachment flange `i is providedwith1 auplura'lity of generally axially cut- Wardiextensions" or terminal iin'gers 22 of a length to l project *axially outwardly beyond the juncture offtiieftirefriinfbase-fiange `l-2 and the side flange ylf3-off the `tire; rim. While in thedraxv-ings only cnet-of thefffngersn i'ssli'own; itf'will be under- 3 stood that as many of such fingers may be provided as desired, a convenient arrangement comprising four of such fingers provided quadrantly around the wheel. In fact, it has been found quite advantageous to make the wheel body Il from a square blank of material, with the coiners turned out to provide the ngers 22. This affords a generally scalloped edge for the attachment flange 2 I of the wheel body with the termini of the corners-or scallops projecting axially'outwardly and lproviding the cover retaining fingers.

In one form, as shown in Figure 2, a cover 23 is provided with a central large radius crowned portion 24 and a trim ring annulus 25 formed in A one piece with the crown portion and extending convexly in a, generally radially and vaxially outward direction from a generally axially inwardly and slightly radially inwardly turned juncture 1i flange for retaining engagement by a wheel cover. 2. In a wheel structure, a body disk having the outer margin thereof formed with a concave annular channel providing a generally axially outwardly extending peripheral flange arranged to be attached to the base flange of a tire rim and having a plurality of finger-like cover retaining extensions extending generally axially in one piece therefrom. i H y 3./In 'a-wheel structure` including;4 a multifiange tire rim having a base flange" and a side flange, a wheel body disk including an outer peripheral generally axially extending attachment flange structure secured to the base flange of the tire rim and having a plurality of axially outward cover retaining extensions, and a wheel cover including a generally axially inwardly exfold 21 dimensioned to fit at the juncture of the l wheel body and the tirelrim and more particularly at the shoulder provided by junction of the base and side flanges I2 and I3 of thevtire rim. The fold 21 provides a generally axially outwardly and radially inwardly facing retaining shoulder 28 and is receptive within a groove 23 formed in each of the retaining fingers 22 andfacing generally toward the tire rim. To facilitate application of the cover, each of the retaining fingers is preferably formed with a generally radially inwardly and axially outwardly extending cam tip 0r extremity 30. Thus, in applying the cover 23, it is generally centered With respect to the wheel with the reinforcing and retaining fold 21 engagingthe cam tips 300i the retaining finger extensions and the cover is then pushed axially inwardly so that the retaining fold 21 which is of substantial inherent resiliency will stretch and cam inwardly unltil the fold snaps into the retaining groove 29 of the finger and engages in wedging retained relation vwithin the groove 2S of the finger and against the adjacent portion of the tire rim. l Y

The ytrim ring portion 25 of the cover extends in substantial concealing relation to the outer side of the tire rim and has the outer margin thereof turned under to provide a reinforcing edge bead 3l opposite the extremity of Ithe ter,- minal flange I5 of the tire rim. When it is desired to remove the cover a pry-off tool P is inserted between the edge bead 3| and the-terminal fiange l5 and manipulated to pry the cover axially outwardly to release the retaining fold or fiange 2 from the retaining engagement with the stiif retaining fingers 22 and more particularly to release the shoulder flange 28 of the cover `from the opposing shoulder within the groove 29 of the finger by causing the shoulder flange 28 to cam past the finger shoulder responsive to the pry-off force.r

In the modification of Figure 3, the wheel structure is identical with Figure 2 but a hub cap 32 is applied to the ou-ter side of the wheel, the

hub cap having a turned and beaded resilient Y tending annular retaining portion retainingly engaging said extensions and held by said extensions at the juncturelof the tire rim and wheel body.

4. In a wheel structure including a multiflange tire rim and a disktype wheel' body, said body comprising a marginal fiange secured to the tire rim and having integral axially outwardly extending cover retaining fingers, each of the cover retaining fingers having a radially outwardly opening groove closely adjacent to the tire rim, and a wheel cover having an axially inwardly and radially inwardly extending finger engaging formation engaging in snap-on pry-ofi? relation within said groove and wedged within said groove and against the adjacent portion of the tire rim,

5. In a wheel structure including 'a multiflange tire rim and a disk type wheel body, said body comprising a marginal ange secured to the tire rim and having integral axially outwardly extending cover retaining iingers, each of the cover retaining fingers having a radially outwardly opening groove closely adjacent to the tire rim,` and a wheel cover having an axially inwardly `and radially inwardly extending finger engaging formation engaging in snap-on pry-off relation within said groove and wedged within said groove and against the adjacent' portion of the tire rim, said wheel cover retaining formation comprising an intermediate generally inwardly extending integral fold intermediate and joining a central crowned portion and a radially outer trim ring portion.

6. In a wheel structure including a multiflange tire rim and a disk type wheel body, said body comprising a marginal flange secured to the tire rimv and having integral axially outwardly extending cover retaining fingers, each of the cover retaining fingers having a radially outwardly opening Vgroove closely adjacent to the tire rim, and a wheel Vcover having an axially inwardly andradially inwardlyv extending finger engaging formation engaging in snap-on pry-off relation within said groove and wedged within said groove and againstV the adjacent portion of thetire rim,- said cover member comprising a hub cap and said retaining formation comprising an underturned Aresilient bead on the periphery of the hub cap. Y y

7. In combination in a vehicle wheel construction, a tire rim having a base flange, and a wheel body stamping including a generally axially outwardly extending marginal flange secured to said base flange and having a substantially scalloped edge with the extremities of the scallops projecting beyond the outer edge of the base flange of the tire rim and providing wheel cover engaging fingers.

8. In combination in a vehicle wheel construction, a tire rim having a base flange, and a wheel body stamping including a generally axially outwardly extending marginal iiange secured to said base and having a substantially scalloped edge with the extremities of the scallops projecting beyond the outer edge of the base flange oi' the tire rim and providing wheel cover engaging ngers, each of said iingers having a radially outwardly opening retaining groove adjacent to juncture of the lingers with the tire rim.

9. In combination in a vehicle wheel construction, a tire rim having a base flange, and a wheel body stamping including a generally axially outwardly extending marginal ange secured to said base and having a substantially scalloped edge with the extremities of the scallops projecting beyond the outer edge of the base ange of the tire rim and providing wheel cover engaging fingers, each of said iingers in addition having a cover-camming generally radially turned extremity.

10. In a wheel structure including a multiange tire rim including a base flange and a terminal flange, a wheel body comprising a 'j radially inwardly extending flange structure retainingly engaged with the retaining fingers and wedged thereby against the tire rim adjacent to the juncture of the flngers with the tire rim, the outer margin of the trim ring portion of the cover comprising a turned reinforcing edge opposite the terminal flange of the tire rim and adapted to be engaged by a pry-off tool for prying the cover free from said ngers.

GEORGE ALBERT LYON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Torkelson et al. July 10, 1923 Number 

